Duke of Cambridge Islington

British, Gastropub, Mediterranean·
££££
·

SquareMeal Review of Duke of Cambridge Islington

Part of The Culpeper pub group alongside The Culpeper, The Buxton and The Green in Clerkenwell, the Duke of Cambridge certainly has a solid pedigree. The location isn’t bad either - take a short stroll down towards the Regent’s Canal from Angel’s Upper Street and you can’t miss the Duke’s navy blue awnings, wooden benches and hanging baskets on the corner of Danbury Street.

Inside, the Duke of Cambridge has all the trappings of a great gastropub - a fantastic selection of beers, organic wines and cocktails; we went with the latter and enjoyed a good negroni in the warmth of the summer evening.

The Duke proudly asserts that it was Britain’s first organic pub and it’s clear that there remains a focus on fresh, seasonal produce and transparent sourcing. It has a fantastic reputation for honest British cooking, though some visitors might find that falls rather on the rustic side. An opening salvo of small plates - brown crab on toast with Sriracha, langoustines with aioli, and globe artichoke with mustard dressing - arrived literally as described; the brown crab was on a piece of toast, with a little squirt of Sriracha; langoustines arrived cold and in shells, and the artichoke was cut in half with choke removed. Simple food like this leaves few hiding places, and though nice, they were somewhat lacklustre.

The same can be said of a main dish of lamb, frijoles and tomato salsa, which was capably cooked, but felt like an assemblage that was exactly the sum of its parts.

A Black Forest gateaux deconstruction of roasted cherries, chocolate brownie and clotted cream was a bright spot, but this all felt like a meal that was lacking a bit of direction. Still, the restaurant was buzzing with diners and drinkers, and service was friendly too. We suspect this may have been an off night for the venerable pub, fingers crossed for normal service to resume shortly.

Good to know

Average Price
££££ - £30 - £49
Cuisines
British, Gastropub, Mediterranean
Ambience
Cool, Cosy, Lively
Food Occasions
Dinner, Lunch, Sunday roast
Alfresco And Views
Outside seating
Special Features
Dog friendly, Vegetarian options
Perfect for
Child friendly, Group dining [8+]
Food Hygiene Rating

FAQs

Can you book tables outdoors?

Yes, outdoor booking is available if you phone and request an outdoor table.

Helpful? 0

Location

30 St Peter's Street, Islington, London, N1 8JT

020 7359 3066 020 7359 3066

Website

Opening Times

Lunch
Mon Closed
Tue 12:00-14:30
Wed 12:00-14:30
Thu 12:00-14:30
Fri 12:00-14:30
Sat Closed
Sun 12:00-17:00
Dinner
Mon Closed
Tue 18:00-21:30
Wed 18:00-21:30
Thu 18:00-21:30
Fri 18:00-21:30
Sat Closed
Sun Closed
All day
Mon Closed
Tue Closed
Wed Closed
Thu Closed
Fri Closed
Sat 12:00-21:30
Sun Closed

Reviews

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1 Review 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

Clemens K

30 September 2014  
Food & Drink 2
Service 2.5
Atmosphere 3
Value 1.5
A pity!
I used to frequent the Duke of Cambridge some ten years ago when it was one of THE gastropubs and I fondly remember having several rather good meals here. When I went last Saturday with a bunch of friends for lunch, the pub was far less busy than it used to be, and after our lunch I can see why. The food always verged on the expensive, but hey, everything is strictly organic, so maybe its worth it? The short answer is: it's not. Several dishes including my starter of pig's head terrine lacked seasoning, my main was a sad-looking and rather tiny roast leg of chicken on a bed of half mashed vegetables (think pre-Jamie Oliver school dinner for a pretty steep £15) and a friend's shakshuka was covered by two eggs of the consistency of rubber, suggesting (repeated?) reheating. The staff were not unfriendly, but seemed disinterested--my main had apparently been forgotten and hence came late and gravy for the roast chicken was only produced on request (without an excuse). This place exudes the air of something that had its day; the people who manage it appear to have lost all interest in it, or in good food in general. It still is a nice space, so I recommend going there for an organic pint of beer now and then, but avoid the food at all (high) cost.
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020 7359 3066 020 7359 3066

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